Approval condition letterCity of Yelm
Community Development Department
105 Yelm Avenue West
Yelm, WA 98597
December 2, 2009
Jeff McInnis, P.E.
Petra Engineering, LLC
2602 North Proctor, Suite 205
Tacoma, WA 98407
Re: Samantha Ridge
Dear Jeff:
The Community Development Department has received your request for an extension
of approval of site construction plans for Samantha Ridge. The site construction plans
were approved on June 10, 2008. They expired on June 10, 2009. The City will extend
the approval 12 months to June 10, 2010 only when outstanding civil review fees are
paid. The past due amount is $4,320.00. Please note that utility connection and
Transportation Facility Charges are subject to change, and due and payable building
permit issuance.
The City of Yelm has been proactive in water planning since 1994, when the City made
application with the Washington Department of Ecology for new water rights sufficient to
serve the entire City and its Urban Growth Area.
While efforts are underway to secure sufficient water to provide for Yelm's long term
needs, the City has aggressively pursued the acquisition and transfer of existing water
rights in order to provide for continued growth until new water rights are acquired. Yelm
has historically been successful at acquiring and transferring sufficient water to meet
demands.
The Washington Department of Ecology recently denied a water rights transfer that the
City had been working on for 18 months and which had been approved twice by the
Thurston County Conservancy Board. The denial of this water rights transfer means
that the City currently has a limited number of water connections available for new
development. The City has appealed Ecology's decision to the Pollution Control
Hearings Board.
Unless Ecology's decision is overturned by the Hearings Board, the City is no longer
able to make a finding of concurrency with the municipal water system for any new land
(360) 458-3835
(360) 458-3144 FAX
www.ci.yelm.wa.us
divisions. While the City is currently in a position to provide water and issue permits for
the proposed development, this may change in the future if conditions change.
Please note that the State Building Code at Section 19.27.097 RCW requires evidence
of water availability at the time of building permit issuance, and the issuance of a
building permit by the City of Yelm serves as the City's commitment to provide a
proposal with potable water.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
~~~~~J
Tami Merrima
Associate Planner
December 3, 2009 Page 2 of 2